A Twist of Snakes
by TiGGs96
Summary: I flinched, I swung out of reflex, now I'm trapped. My weapon is caught in the cage, with the blade pointing down. There is no way out, but if I could just get my katana out of its wedge...
1. A Second Change

"Come on, come on!" My patience with this cage was lost, and nothing seemed to be working! In my cramped position, I tried again to wriggle my caught blade out of the wedge it was stuck on. If I could get it free, then I could pry open the trap.

I look up to see the Foot swarm my vision. They attempted to carry me somewhere but I buckled the cage so that they loose their grip on me. I hated feeling so trapped, so defenseless, but I had no time to be finicky about such minor discomforts. With more Foot ninja coming in, the more likely my family and I will be trapped here. And with such a swarm, I wasn't able to see the others.

Again, I tug and twirl the handle on my Ninjatō, trying to free it. All my attempts to do so only seem to backfire, making the blade be nicked and caught rather than loosening it. I could just make out the sound of metal being scraped against the ground, along with the sounds of my complaining brothers. I can only assume that they are trapped in the same cages as I am.

We weren't ignorant of them, we only got distracted by the fight and lost track of where they were. I don't know where Splinter is though, and the fact that I don't hear the song of steel tell me that he too was immobile.

Still, I tug and push at my awkward angle. I only needed a slight budge, only a slip! My wrist starts to cramp, but I payed it no mind. The Foot has finally lifted me up, taking me beside my brothers. All three are trapped, but with their cages securely closed. Mikey's eyes looked anime-ish, darting back and forth from one enemy to the next. Don was in a very uncomfortable position, with his neck bending almost unnaturally. Raph was closed to swearing aloud, he rocked his cage back and forth, too bad TigerClaw came to give his loudest captor a good shake.

They had me turned away from Shredder, but I could see Splinter now. He was trapped as well, his limbs being pulled in different directions with ropes. He tried to struggle, he tried to slice off his binding, but he soon was down on his knees.

A clanking sound came from behind me, not from unkempt armor, but from the sound of a metal boot hitting the concrete floor.

"Finally, the Hamato clan bows before the Shredder." His voice sounded just like last time. Crackly, like the fire that burnt his face, and as sharp as his weapons.

"Shredder, don't let your vengeance blind you! This mutation will do no good! Leave my daughter be!" Poor sensei, gaining his lost child after so long, only to loose her again in the hands of his once-brother.

"Karai will be left unharmed."

The sound of moving chains, what was he doing? Was he actually freeing her?

"This is a special batch of mutagen…"

Movment, Mikey's cage was the first to be moved. Baxmer Lockman seemed to be carrying us up to a platform at the edge of the mutagen vat.

"…specially made for your disciples!" Shredder finished.

Without further instructions, the deformed fly kicked a cage into the vat.

Time slowed, and moved too fast all at once. I knew I was screaming. I felt my blade snap short. I found myself free from the cage, looking over the edge for my brothers. I didn't register the bug being swatted away, I didn't glance at Splinter when he yelled in outrage, I didn't even phase at Karai's outcry. All I cared was finding my brothers in the green ooze.

Green, blue, bubbles, sparkles, a gigantic pool of liquid nebula barely showed my reflection. But there was no red, dark green, purple, or baby blue in that vat, I couldn't see the bottom. Their cages floated up, launching into the air and slamming on the floor below. I didn't flinch, they were empty anyways.

I barely noted Splinter next to me, searching the toxic pool just as I. A moment passed, then another. To me, it was quite. I felt a paw on my shoulder, pulling me away with a familiar, commanding noise. I jerked away, I didn't care about my well-being. I only wanted to see what became of my brothers.

Or more likely, what my brother become.

Some being launched itself upward. The creature was followed by another, and another. Three mutants slid out of the mutagen, none resembled the brothers I grew up with. There was no green on them. There was no shells, no hands, no limbs, nothing related to a turtle. Three serpents lifted their heads up, showing us the stolen eyes of the ones lost.

One snake bolted over the Foot, springing over their heads and snapping its tail at them. The second one tried to hide, backing up and being cornered. TigerClaw came to snag it, but the timid reptile suddenly lunged, opening its mouth to show two, large, and long fangs. The third was still slithering out of the vat, leaving the floor covered in its splotched hide. The first two dove into the tangle the third made, hiding within the brown scales.

The Foot gained enough sense to back away from the three, but Splinter and I remained on the platform. Three serpents lifted their heads up, showing me the eyes of my brothers. I saw silts in my brother's eyes, surrounded by reddish-brown, emerald green, and baby blue.

Against my will, I was lifted up once more. These hands though were gentle. Like a babe, Splinter held me close to his chest as I peered over his shoulder. The forms of the new mutants shrank, letting details fade the further away we became. I could no longer see their eyes, but my brothers followed us as Splinter carried me to the window we had all entered from.

I clung tighter to my father as my brothers looked back at me with something animalistic in their gaze.

* * *

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.


	2. Not As it Seems

Hamato Yoshi and his last son left the ruined lab undetected. The Foot clan wasn't quite as fortunate.

Many bots were busted and unable to escape, both from the falling wreckage and from the new recruited mutants. Said mutants were swiftly making their way to an exit, curving their bodies around and over the debris like ink on paper. Waiting for them on the streets was a tiger on two legs and a man in armor. Foot ninjas lined themselves on the sides, making a path that led straight to the back of three vans.

"Split them up!" ordered TigerClaw.

Obediently, the Foot bots closed in on the three snakes. The three retaliated, fending for themselves from the intruders surrounding them. After a few more destroyed androids, the serpent's moves were learnt and were quickly subdued.

Yet they struggled still, the giant snakes refusing to enter the van willingly. One managed to wriggle free, snapping it's jaws and curling around the android's grasp. The rebellion didn't last long. A tranquilizer embedded itself to the creature's long neck, rendering it unconscious in a matter of seconds.

Two more darts were sent to the others, with another shot to ensure their sleep. TigerClaw placed his launcher back into place.

"If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. The creatures are ready for travel Master Shredder."

"Excellent," the scarred man walked to a pair of bots holding a young woman, "now to deal with you."

"What have you done to them?! You monster! You were planning on dunking me in there!"

Karai struggled with all her strength, but it wasn't enough to weaken the iron hand upon her. The harsh grip bruised her, but I was nothing compared to the hate growing within her petite form. Ever since she heard of his lies there was nothing but hate for the man who called himself her father. That hate only grew with the demise of three of the four turtles who called her their sister.

"What kind of father plans on mutating his only daughter?!" The words 'father' and 'daughter' seemed to be a curse when coming from her mouth.

"I never planned on mutating you." Bluntly stated Oroku Saki.

The girl's struggles ceased, "What?"

Saki removed his mask, showing his face to the girl he rose. With his other hand, he laid it gently on Karai's shoulder. He spoke softly, not wanting his allies to hear. "I would never plan on turning you into on of those monstrosities."

Shredder straightened his back, standing tall and proud once more. "My plan was to use you to lure the turtles, sending them in the mutagen. I had planned on having all four of them change into mindless killers, then attacking their rat master."

He continued talking, having Karai being guided to the fourth parked van. Having his back turned, Saki never saw the growing horror and disgust in his daughter's face.

"With the turtles-turned-snakes laying eyes on their master, nature's order would take place and Yoshi would be forced to attack his own students."

Entering the fourth van, Shredder sat in the passenger seat. Karai was placed in the storage space in the back, still being held down by the bots. TigerClaw also made himself comfortable in the back, being too big to fit the regular seats.

The drive was relatively silent. The four cars drove off one at a time, each taking a different route to their destination. Meanwhile, down below, a broken family could be found in an abandoned subway station.

* * *

The escape had been too close for comfort. Thankfully the place caught on fire, allowing us to leave under the smoke and flames.

I look into my arms to see a rather pathetic sight. Leonardo's grip hasn't loosened from our escapade and looked ready to curl completely into his shell. It broke my heart to see my courageous son look so frail. If it wasn't for the extra weight, I could easily see a younger Leonardo clinging to me after a nightmare.

A nightmare, very apt indeed…

What was a risky rescue mission turned into something even more perilous. As if going against Saki wasn't enough, but he also had a trap planned for us once we got there. A trap that we fell for, and lost so much from.

I could still see it playing in my mind's eye. I could feel the ropes holding me down, I could see that Stockman fly carry away my sons and I could still hear my own voice shouting out. He wanted me to witness this. It was all part of his plan.

I sat down wearily on the couch, hugging Leonardo closer to me. I closed my eyes and imagined, for a moment longer, that all of my sons were here. I wanted to know that they all returned safely and were too tired for words, a fool man's wish.

I gripped tighter to my distressed son, his bone-hard shell not feeling my nails digging in. I stared rubbing his shell, both for his comfort as well as mine. To feel my son, living, breathing beside me eased my spirit more than any amount of medicine. My paws felt the nicks and scratches that marred my son's natural ridges.

Their shells differentiate them as much as their eyes and personalities do. Leo's shell is the most natural of the four, having only indents from his youth. I remembered, he had a difficult time finding his grip on his weapon and kept scraping both wooden and metal blade against the ridges near his shoulder. Donatello's shell was odd, thin and elongated like its owner. Not only this, but it always carried some amount of synthetic scent. Whether a type of chemical or the recognizable smell of soot and ash, he would walk around with his lab stuck on his person. Michelangelo had the smoothest, having his shell being constantly buffed against one thing or another. There were many patches that had his natural pattern and others smooth as glass. Raphael bared the most marks. His was covered in different scars, from weapon niches to forceful chunks.

A feeling of anguish overcame me, a feeling I have faced time and time again. I was relieved that Miwa was unharmed from this whole dilemma, but it was a small joy from what I lost. My sons, my children, their lives ruined by my enemy once again. My sons, my strong, brave, warriors. Worst yet, I could not gain them back.

When I believed Miwa to be perished, I had hate control me. To think, a babe being born for such a short time before her live was cut terribly short. And with the mutation accident that occurred, I had started to ponder on the though of revenge. But, as I said to Karai earlier, revenge only leads to more pain. So I was able to leave the past behind me as I started a new life below the surface.

But my sons were not stolen, they weren't killed either. However, they might as well have been killed. Unlike Karia, I could never see them again. I've witness what those mutations do to a mind, and I know first-hand how difficult it is to return one's mindset. It took weeks, months for me to hold back my rodent instincts and allow myself the liberty of training again. My son's don't have the mental training, or dedication to fight back those foreign instincts.

The turtles I saw grow up were no more, in their place was three, mindless snakes. A harsh assumption, but I saw the way they fought, I gazed into their eyes, and I recognized none of my sons. Michelangelo, one with raw talent and agility, flip and leap with the purpose of attacking full force. So unlike his normal fighting style, using his agility to evade and aim to subdue. Raphael still utilized his strength, but his coordinated hits were reduced to hazardous flailing and powerful shoves. And there was nothing to help him calm his rage. Donatello, a ninja who used brain over brawn whenever possible, was striking out without mercy. My soul cried out for my sons, tearing itself in the process.

Shredder does indeed live up to his name.

I cradled my only son, my last son, and held him tight. His tears had already stopped, his anguish staining his mask. I held him like a child, rocking back and forth. We stayed there, together, until I realized that I too had no more tears to shed.

* * *

Swimming was never something I would consider a talent of mine before. I knew how to avoid drowning, but it was never something I bragged about. Then again, that was before I turned into a fish.

I needed water to survive, yes, but now I can't imagine living without the stuff surrounding me. I could reach speeds that no ordinary athlete could. Swimming now was just as easy as breathing, completely involuntary.

But no matter how much I enjoyed my new lifestyle, I couldn't forget the feeling of fighting. It was something I needed to do to survive. I wouldn't be where I was today without it, so I fought the need to stay submerged.

Walking was nothing to an average man, but it was a symbol of accomplishment for me.

Currently strolling down the hallway, I made my way towards Master Shredder's throne room. We had just entered the building, being delayed by the orange turtles sneak attack. Both Bradford and I had felt the familiar feeling of shame and embarrassment from the obvious distraction.

The turtles, they were always the ones to get in our way. But even with our rivalry, I look forward to see those turtles be put back into their place.

Next to me was "Dogpound" or "Rahzah" as the orange one calls him. I chuckled, the orange one was always annoying as well as amusing.

"What are you laughing at?" Hissed Bradford.

"I was just wondering how that cat would be punished by Shredder for failing him once again." There was something about TigerClaw that put me on the edge. I don't know what to call it, but it had to do with the way he looks at me when he's eating something.

"How do you know if we lost? There is the chance that he could have defeated the turtles."

"Yeah, and just how likely is that?"

He didn't have to say anything, we both knew how small of a chance that would be.

The doors opened, and we marched into the large room. It was a grand place, having a throne inside made the space more regal. I wasn't an interior decorator, but even I knew that the place was made with a purpose. This room alone showed the power that Shredder held. Every glass that was shattered were replaced, damaged made on the walkway were fixed, any spot left on the throne was cleaned, thus leaving the room just as pristine as before. The money it must have taken to fix this abused spot was impressive, expendable compared to how the rest of the building is also designed.

Sitting on his throne was the Shredder himself, with his daughter beside him. She was conscious but didn't seem to respond to anything around her. Bradford and I exchanged glances but kept silent as we bowed before our master. Rising up, I then saw TigerClaw with three, large something covered in a tarp.

To my surprise, there appeared to be no harm done to the feline. Aside from the singed fur, nothing was bleeding, bruised, or broken. Whatever burned him was from something other than the turtles.

"Master Shredder, forgive me for my incompetence." said Bradford.

We were both bowed before the Shredder. Normally, Bradford would be punished by him for his mistakes, but it seems that he was in a particularly good mood.

"By now your incompetence is normality, however, that is not the reason I summoned you here."

From our lowered positions, my longest partner and I exchanged glances.

"Bradford, Xever, I have summoned you here to inform you of our success in our mission."

I felt my fin straighten in surprise at Shredder's words. A success? Did that mean that the turtles did fail, or does it mean that they didn't interact with the turtles at all?

"The plan was to return my daughter home, away from Hamato Yoshi and his students."

Saki was in a very good mood, or at least prideful at whatever he did.

"Plus, I wanted you two to lead our new recruits to their rooms. Shredder gestured to the three containers. Here, kitty tore off the tarp covering our new partners. Bradford and I were more than a little intimidated by the reptiles within.

In the different cages were three snakes. One had stripes, one had blotches, and another had a combination of the two. The one with stripes was a pale gray, similar to concrete, and had brightly colored tail. The second with blotches had an overall brown color, and was easily the largest and longest of the three. The final one had round marking on its forehead, along with having an odd reddish-brown color.

But that wasn't the only thing I noticed. The three were wide awake, gazing at all of us with shockingly familiar eyes.

"Who where these?" I asked.

A grin could be heard, "Take a guess."

So, these where the turtles… I took another look at them. I was saddened to find out that our most annoying enemies were defeated by another, but I was also relieved to find them out of our hair.

I took a few steps closer to the cages, heading for the one with green eyes. It appeared that Raphael recognized me. He raised his head up and gave me a hiss.

For a moment, I frowned, confusion replacing my features. Unlike Stockman, I couldn't tell what he was saying. If he was saying anything at all that is. Scary. Just how far gone were my enemies exactly?

These thoughts only lasted a few seconds, and then pity was replaced with satisfaction.

"Haha! You freaks made fun of my legs before. Now, how does it feel to have no more limbs to control?"

This caused a reaction. The Raphael-snake lunged with his mouth opened wide. I was ashamed to say that I flinched, even when his jaws were caught on the bars between us. The once red-banded turtle glared unblinkingly at me, his jaws stretching far wider than what my jaws can do.

Again, I was taken aback by the stark differences from the turtle-snake before me to the ninjas I knew. Raphael was always the hot-head, but he always seemed to be trying to calm himself down. There were no such restraints here. Plus, he was unusually aggressive. Not to be mistaken, he was always fighting with anger, but he would normally snap back with a smart remark. It was as if he was a completely different person.

I took a few more steps back, a growing unease settled inside me. It was the same feeling I got when I'm around TigerClaw, the feeling of being vulnerable around an enemy. The aggressive snake managed to pull himself back. He kept watching me, a forked tongue flicking in and out repeatedly.

A purple streak darted in my peripheral vision and I looked away to figure out what it was. My initial thought was that it was the mask tails of the tall turtle, but I found out it was the tail of the pale colored snake. Brown eyes, almost red, gazed back. The fact that they can no longer blink made the stare unnerving. Another purple flash passed and I found out it was the creature's tail.

My eyes instinctively flicked to the movement, and that was when he stroke. This time, I wasn't the only one to flinch back. Bradford's gaze was also swayed by the unnatural tail color, so the sound of bone hitting bars made us both jump. Unlike his brother, this serpent had two, enormous fangs. Both were larger than my own protruding fangs. We only caught a glimpse of them before he drew back, gazing back at us innocently once more.

I took another few steps back. Bradford, on the other hand, took a few steps closer.

He looked at the final cage, housing the shortest reptile. This one seemed just as curious at us as we were of them. It was slightly raised, swerving it's neck around, never keeping it's eyes off of us. It never took a strike like the others, but that unease never left. Probably anticipating another flash of teeth, Bradford returned to his spot in front of Shredder.

Said man gave us another set of orders to follow. "These three are to be put in the dungeons. I wish to have them in top form when I test them in combat tomorrow, so do not harm them. You are dismissed."

Just like that, he and the bots holding Karai made their way out. TigerClaw then took hold of the Rapheal-snake, him being the heaviest to stroll.

"These cages have wheels so they shouldn't be too much of a hassle to move about. You two, take care of the others."

Somewhat reluctantly, Bradford and I took hold of the other snakes. I just so happened to be lugging the "friendliest" one. Making sure the pegs keeping the cages in place were removed, the three of us made our way to the dungeons.

Once we got there, I was surprised to see tailless continue to pass the cells.

"What do you think your going kitty? Did you not hear Shredder?" I nodded toward the cell nearby, "He ordered us to send these guys behind bars."

"He also said that he wanted them in top form. Them being reptiles, they need to be were a light source and water is available." He said, not even turning around to talk to me.

"And where do you suppose we may find a secure place with such things?"

"Just follow me." He grunted.

How I wished I could fight back! That tiger pushes all of my buttons! Just because he was requested by Shredder himself doesn't mean that he is any better than us. I would fight him if it wasn't for the caged snake between us.

"Quit your whining and get a move on!" Bradford complained.

This comment was followed by him ramming his cage into me, causing me to hit the cage I was herding. The contained serpents didn't take too kindly for the sudden movement and snapped back. Bradford was forced to release the cage to avoid the ramming of the purple-tailed one. I found myself stuck between two ticked beings with fangs.

That unease I had shot itself to a sudden panic. A part of me wanted to run, wanted to dash out of my sudden predicament and dive in water. I harshly pushed away that feeling of cowardice from my mind. Instead, I did what I do best, I fought. I kicked Bradford's cage back at him and turned around to push my turtle-snake to where TigerClaw was heading.

The dungeon in question was originally designed for storing a generator of sorts, the designer wanting to use the water entrance as a cooling system. At least, that is from what I heard.

Getting them inside the cell was easier than expected. All of them slithered out and into their new dwellings. No fuss. The bars were thick enough to hold them and set closely enough to keep them inside. As TigerClaw said, there was a lamp embedded into the wall and the floor cell being almost covered entirely by water.

Panic from before had calmed, yet I still had that vulnerable feeling again. The three haven't torn their gazes from us. I was only truly relaxed when we left the dungeons and closed the gate with a lock and key.

* * *

A dark, dank room housed three has-been-turtles, each very different from one another. Once they had heard the creak of a gate close and the click of a lock, a strange occurrence happened.

Serpents were not friendly creatures, even to one another. So to witness such a thing happening in a confined space was unusual. There were no attacks on territorial dominance, there were no strikes to gain a large dinner, nor where their any threats. Curiously, nothing close to aggression was taking place at all. Instead, the three snakes curled into a single corner, shielding one another against the harsh reality.

* * *

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.


	3. Curious

I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to. I wanted to prolong tomorrow as long as I was able.

Here I lied in the bed I slept in ever since I arrived in America. The room was bare save for the weapons and wisdom on display. Even then, the room was still colorless and bland. With katanas in black sheaths and shuriken reflecting the white walls, I silently wonder how I could stand for it for so long.

Though I had two rooms in two different countries, both were just as ordered as the other. I had lived like this for years. Coming back now, I realized how different I was from the girl who lived here.

The girl who resided here was stiff and angry. She was as bland as her room. And she grew to be just as vengeful as her father. I come in and see this girl missing. It is still my bed, but I feel like an intruder.

I changed. I learned that my father was my murder and that my true father was the one I had been plotting against. Hamato Yoshi, the man I had grown to hate. I had dreamt about ending him, about dominating his students, once in a lifetime ago. Now I felt sick with guilt about what I had done.

I was born as Miwa, but I only ever was Karai.

Vengeance, this was something that I grew up with. This was a feeling that drove me more than anger, praise, or accomplishment ever could. A beast that I cared for, tended to, and relied heavily on. It wasn't until too late that I realized that revenge wasn't satisfied with just one soul.

I wanted to be Yoshi's daughter Miwa, I wanted to be a big sister, I wanted a more wholesome family, but Karai was persistent. If I wanted this new, better life I needed to get rid of Karai. She existed for only one thing, and I was more than happy to follow through. How I wish I could go back in time, I would go back and stop myself from leaving. I would heed my father's warning.

I never wanted this to happen.

Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael, Leonardo, Splinter, I have hurt them far more than I ever intended to. Mikey was the first one to call me his sister, Leo was the first one to trust me, Yoshi had welcomed me with open arms, Donny and Raph had finally accepted me, and what have I done? I ran away. I ran away and shattered my father's second life.

Splinter had sounded so heartbroken. He sounded so angry, yet anguished all at once. He screamed a war cry, calling out for blood, while also crying out a plead to end his life. I can't imagine what it was for him, watching his sons fall and change into something else. At that time I was experiencing the pain of losing something I had just gained.

Shock had taken hold of me, then anger, finally settling on that familiar grip of revenge over me. I wanted to turn all my hate on the Shredder, to make him suffer what he had forced Yoshi to suffer. I wanted so much to silence him, never wanting such a monster to live in my life ever again. Miwa was too weak to fight against Karai.

But all that hate is gone now, leaving an overflowing puddle of guilt for me to wallow in. Once I heard that the Shredder had used me as bait, I then realized how much danger I had put the turtles into. If I had only stayed away, if I had only listened to my father's wisdom, if only if only!

I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to. I was too afraid to see what exactly I had done.

* * *

"Watch it stink-man!"

"Keep your claws to yourself!"

_Stupid, primitive, co-workers! If I wasn't so intimidated by them, I would make them pay!_

But I was, so I complied with their demands. I flew up and felt my pulvillus padded limbs cling to the wall. I, along with the others, where ordered here this morning to help analyze the turtle specimens. Shredder wanted us to help him make sure the reptiles were battle ready.

I couldn't wait to see them! My previous studies of the mutagen were of a drastic form of metamorphous. To turn a mammal, a human in all my cases, into something outside of their respected phylum was a phenomenon. Yet, I had never witness such a change with creatures of the same class.

_Ah, here they are now!_

Through my compound eyes, I could see and sense the limbless carnivores coming in. The androids pushed along the subjects, lining them up side by side by the entrance. Shredder walked up to one of the serpents and ordered for his release.

The snake was curious, not very bothered by its circumstances. He only watched as Shredder circled him. As time passed, the reptile then realized the presence of anther predator, and enemy. The snake coiled on himself, his forked tongue smelling what he could.

Another second passed before Saki attacked. The two retaliated blow per blow. Like the animal it is the reddish-brown snake stroke back with fangs bared. Whenever it couldn't attack, it would leap into the air to strike from above. My eyes didn't miss anything.

_Intriguing, the agility shown is not very common within the class, but not unrecognizable. It obviously is a viper from the atropoides genus, commonly known as a "jumping viper." It seems to prove the exaggerated rumors were true. Then again, the mutagen could be reacting to the trained muscles from the previous body. _

_They eye color is off as well, blue instead of a yellow. I could vaguely recall a snake that was reported to have blue, hazy eyes, but they were from a type of non-venomous snake. This one being a pit viper was most certainly venomous, the visible frontal fangs proving such. I must request Saki to allow me to milk them. One strike and a misstep are all it takes to send us six feet under._

_This viper didn't seem as stout as most atropoides, an A. picadoi maybe? Or was this another reaction to the turtle it was before? If my memory is right, then the orange one was the one with the blue eyes. He was also the smallest of them, not the leanest, not the tallest, but the smallest._

_Interesting, did their personalities decide on what type of species they would be? How was this so? Did it have to do with the similar class? Did it have to do with the brain at all? Or was this a physical reaction to the mutagen? So many questions and so little to base them all upon!_

Saki appeared to be finished with his observation, and quickly knocked out the creature. The androids then carried it away, placing it back into it's cage before bringing out the second viper.

This one has not willing to come out though. It remained still, coiled beside a corner in the cage. Shredder, not wanting to waste daylight, proceeded to draw closer to the opened cell. And there he stood neither him nor his combatant moving.

A flash of purple movement was sighted, and then the viper stroke. I had heard from the others that this serpent used this same tactic before, so it was no wonder that it didn't catch Saki by surprised. He leaped to the side, waiting for the snake to follow.

Yet, there was no further movement. The brown-eyed snake kept still, mouth closed.

_Heh, never thought I'd see a day where something thought that the Shredder wasn't a threat. Big mistake on the serpent's part._

_On to more important matters, it appeared that this one was a Death Adder. Highly venomous, noted to have a potent neurotoxin. Dangerous when it was only 70 cm, one could only imagine the suffering a person would go through with a ten foot viper._

_Another pit viper, with hinged fangs this time. The fangs on this snake was noticeably large than the first, one bite would be able to penetrate a limb._

The snake still refused to be swayed, and remained in the cage. This forced Shredder to approach in order to continue the fight. And every time he was close, the viper would flick out it's purple tail to distract him. Though, it seemed that the creature figured out that Shredder was another predator like he. It bared its fangs, but still didn't move from its corner.

_Typical behavior from the species, preferring to hide before attacking. This was Donatello was it not, the smart one? Fitting, he always seemed to wait and think out his attacks before he strikes._

_Though, it is interesting on how he is using his tail. Normally, a Death Adder would use its yellow tail as bait. By mimicking the movement of a grub worm, prey would be in striking range to get an easy meal. Instead, Donatello here is using it as a distraction before he strikes. He keeps it hidden until he puts it to use. Does this mean that, somewhere in that animal's head, Donatello continues to plot out his plans? Is he still in full control or is the serpent merely using his intelligence? Questions… so many questions…_

Losing patience, Saki ended the fight by closing the cage. With steel separating them once more, Donatello visibly relaxed.

The last fight was with the longest, and largest of the serpents. Once his cage was open, the snake wasted no time in surrounding Saki. In a matter of seconds, a good amount of the room was carpeted in scales.

_A constrictor. Non-venomous. Tthe real danger with this one was its sheer muscle mass. With the subocular mark underneath its eyes and blotched marking, I would say that this was an African Rock Python._

_Like his brothers, the species fit the personality of the turtle. The Rock Python was infamous for its aggression, and feared for its reported attacks against humans. Not to mention the other reports on finding a corpse of said python that attempted to bite more than it can chew. No other snake could fit more perfectly with the red-banded turtle._

_This python is already considered to be one of the world's largest, but this mutant easily surpassed the average sixteen feet. The python could possibly be reaching forty feet, sixty at the very least._

Taking this one out was trickier than the others. Finding the head of the python in the swarm of muscle was rather difficult, and challenging when Shredder nearly had him leg trapped. Thankfully, his sharp pads provided protection and kept the constrictor from using its full strength. Still, it put up a rather good fight. Even if it couldn't squeeze Saki, it could still shove and push with all its might.

One slam of its tail was enough to break through the glass and crack the pathway. It would have taken refuge in the water if Saki didn't strike a pressure point. Strong it may be, but it was rather slow when compared to the other snake's fights.

With all three observed, Shredder commanded the androids to put the serpents back into their cell. With the three threats out of sight, I buzzed back to the ground. Saki moved, his neck flicking to face me. I twitched and willed myself to not fly away.

"Stockman, I presume you have an adequate analysis?"

His voice, commanding and intimidating, made me fidget even more. He was too close, now standing in front of me. I rubbed my arms on instinct.

"Yes~~ Master Shredder. I managed to gain a vague~~ idea. B~~ But I must as~~k your permis~~sion to obs~~erve them at a clos~~er range." Though my sentences were frequently broken by that stubborn buzz, I took small pride that I was able to speak in English.

I was scared. Shredder could interpret my request differently. He could think that I was a nuisance, and order my demise. He didn't need me, he was a threat all on his own. He was bigger, stronger than I. He could squish me. He could flatten me. With each and every thought, the need to get away grew stronger.

"Permission granted. I expect something of use to come up when you return." And off he went.

I didn't relax, though I was relieved. I still had Bradford and Xever here in the same room with me. I was still in danger.

I flew away.

Out of the room.

Away from the danger.

_You cannot fight your way out! Get away! Get away!_

Safety.

I found myself clung to the ceiling of my lab. Looking around to conform that I was alone, I flew down on the floor and stood on my two feet. I searched my lab to find baggies; I planned on gaining samples from the snakes.

_Exciting! I'm looking forward to seeing the changed made in their DNA. They looked proportional enough, looking nearly exactly like their natural species. But those eyes, and the off-coloring, I wonder why they are there. Could it be a mutated mishap? Or was intentional? _

They acted so much like their respected serpents. Which was…odd actually. From what I gathered with my own experience and from the reports given to me by Bradford and Xever, they shouldn't be acting so animalistic. Surely, their humanity must be fighting for control… Right?

_What does it matter? All in all, their behavior would benefit me when I gain venom samples._

With my sample bags and jars at the ready, I took off. But before I left, I could smell decomposing produce from the numerous dumpsters in the alleyway.

_Hungry._

_Food._

_Perhaps I can delay the project for a moment…_

* * *

TigerClaw roamed the prison cells. In his arms was a large rat, a stray from the swarm that took place a while back. The rodent's snout was covered in strange lumps, like a cancer lump or a deformed horn.

A part of his mind wanted to horde the corpse for his own needs. It wanted to consume the meat, wanted to eat what it could before the next hunt. With years of listening to these random urges, the humanoid tiger easily blocked out the voice. This kill wasn't for him, he reasoned, but for the prisoners.

Facing the cage holding said prisoners, he opened the gate to toss the rat inside.

"Soup's on." Without looking back, TigerClaw left.

Inside the bars, the three snakes looked at their offering. Each gazed hungrily at the meat before them, each wanting to consume the body whole, but still they did not fight for it. A silence took place, waiting for something to happen.

The green-eyed serpent slunk forward, wrapping his thick body around the mutated rodent. Its tail gripped tightly to the hind legs while the rest of its body tugged at the corpse's neck. Here the python pulled in different directions. With a few more forceful tugs, a sickening wet tear could be heard in the cell.

The brown-eyed snake consumed half of the body, while the python swallowed his half. The blue-eyed being stayed by his corner, contently eating the algae pile next to him.

* * *

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.


	4. A Week of Waiting

I didn't want to wake up. I didn't want to walk into the silence. I didn't want to not see my brothers. I didn't want to see sensei's defeated look. I didn't want to continue living this nightmare.

_Not again, not again!_

But I had to. I had to get up out of bed. I had to practice. I had to face the deafening quite. I had to reassure Splinter. I had to keep fighting.

_For my brothers._

A week. A week has passed since that dreaded mutation.

_My poor brothers…_

Ever since then, my thoughts, my movements, my motives have been scattered.

_Laughter, Mikey, where is your laugh?_

I practiced, it helped calm me and Splinter down. Splinter…

_It has been so long since I've seen you smile father…_

I wonder who is more gone, me, Splinter… or the others…

_April couldn't believe it, she thought we were invincible._

We thought so as well, for a few moments.

_Never thought that we would go out like this…_

A punch, a kick, a slice, a cut, but it doesn't feel the same.

_You promised you would have my back, where are you now Raph?_

Splinter is here, meditating.

_Casey was shocked._

He was so lost now.

_I was so lost now…_

There was almost nothing left.

_Donnie, you'd have a plan, any advice?_

It was too quite…

_I'll never complain about the fights._

It was too still…

_I'll never leave you alone._

There alone.

_Be strong, for your team._

I'm alone…

_Get them back!_

My pillars were gone…

_I'm falling…_

I'm failing…

_I failed you…_

I failed you all…

I drop my blades, hands too numb to grip the handles. Tears fall. I've stopped doing katas for a while. I fall, keening out a chirp completely natural to me. Splinter holds me. I hold him. We both cry.

_I should be comforting him, not the other way around!_

Memories flash, both old and new. Donnie finding out about the internet, Raph finding Spike, Mikey discovering pizza.

_Dust on the computer, mold on the lettuce head, a cold pizza oven, not right, not right, not right!_

I think Splinter is clawing me again, but my shell can't feel anything. Doesn't matter, I'm hugging just as tight.

_Raph, are you still protecting the others?_

He would do anything for us. How loyal are you now?

_Mikey, talented, fun, optimistic, can you see a silver lining?_

Tried to keep us happy, never had to when he was around, are you still like that?

_Donnie, you and your quirks, are you still here?_

You saved all of us time and time again, can you solve this problem?

_This is so wrong, this is sick and wrong, not right, not right, not right, not right…_

I nuzzle Splinter's side, not wanting to cry out and disturb the silence. I didn't want my noise to break it, I wanted my brothers to.

_I want my brothers back…_

Please.

* * *

Bars creaked, leaving the cells locked and secured. After a silent agreement, the three got to work.

The snakes shrunk, scales hardening and molding into a shell. Limbs grow, bursting out of the sides with no amount of pain to the mutated beings. The tail all but disappeared, hiding in the new form's natural protection. Heads reformed themselves, looking almost identical to the ninjas they once were.

Their faces were now masked in their new patterns, their shells displayed a grand pattern, and their eyes grew lids while their thin pupils remained. None of the three trapped showed any pain during the process.

The green-eyed being, formerly known as Raphael, started to do strange stances. The fighting style practiced was something deeper than instinct, something that came from years and years of repetition and muscle memory. The movements felt right, thought they seemed to lack something of importance. Nonetheless, a sense of calm flowed throughout his being.

The brown-eyed turtle, previously known as Donatello, picked the lock with one of his pulled fangs. The newly formed fingers were nimble and quick, opening the lock with relative ease. Not hesitating to exit their prison, the tall being scrapped the algae off the walls. Names and facts glided in his mind, but he pushed them aside, considering them irrelevant to the task at hand.

The blue eyed creature, Michelangelo, openly waltzed out of the cell room. Something in him wanted to communicate something complex, something to help sooth the others with him. He paid it no mind, focusing on the entrance to the prison. Here he sat, his pits helping him scouting out any intruders.

No noise disturbed the three's home. No unnecessary noise at least. There were the scrapes and peels from gathering the algae and huffs of breathe from exertion, but no more.

The silence stretched on, each doing their respected task before switching up their routine.

With the tallest turtle satisfied with the amount of algae he gathered, he returned to behind bars to place them with the other pile hidden underwater. He squashed the pile down so that the raged concrete floor caught and gripped the slimy plant. After he was done, he went up to the reptile taking watch and swapped positions.

Now it was the shortest turtle inside the bars. Without missing a beat, he sat down in the water and continued to finish off the first pile of algae. Tearing off small strips, he would then consume them in a single gulp. And here he ate. Occasionally, a fang point would peek out when he smiled in content.

The green-eyed one only did the odd stances a few more times before exiting the cell. Here he roamed the other cells and examined the rooms. This turtle would enter the bars and start to prod and poke the walls for holes and openings. Even when his vision improved from the transformation, he still relied on touch and sound to find these flaws.

Night passed and sunlight could be seen coming through the windows, unfortunately, high above their heads.

With their internal heat growing, the three soon became warm and drowsy even with the slight light change. Their movements were sluggish and lazy. With heavy eyes, the three carried themselves back to their home behind bars.

Coming back and locking themselves in, mixed feeling brewed in each of them. A part of the turtles wanted to stay near the moist cell, however, another serpent side wanted to bask in the sun no matter how litter there was. They wanted to curl into their shells in a huddle, but they also wanted to snap at one another and coil in their own individual spots. There were so many conflicting opinions going through their minds that all three decided to ignore what the thought they wanted, and instead relied on their impulses and instinct.

The reason they started to do these strange activities were due to these impulses and instinct. While they felt comfort in these dark, dank cells, being in this particular building unnerved them. They were rather happy with the thought of eating a whole meal, but they felt even more satisfying in knowing that all three of them ate. While consuming meat was first and foremost in their minds, eating the algae off the walls also curbed their hunger. A part of them wanted to eat continuously while another wanted to sit and digest their large meal.

This was also the reason why only two ate a single meal while the wanted the third, smaller being to have the regular meals. The taller and larger creatures had this urge to protect and help nurture the creature even though the blue-eyed one can survive on his own. It was also the reason why the green-eyed one wanted to protect in general, the two in the cell with him along with a third and fourth unknown member. And why the brown-eyed one felt the need to scan and process everything in order to escape their current home.

This confused them still. Greatly. But none felt that they were doing anything wrong so the continued with these impulses.

Lying down together, but staying a reasonable distance from each other, the changed back into their serpent forms. A voice in their heads told them that if the metal threat knew about their "changes," then they would be in more danger than before. Along with that voice told them to coil as one mass hidden behind the green-eyed snake.

That is, until the sound of an opening gate forces them to separate once more.

* * *

I was trained to be a kunoichi at birth. I was taught to fight so that I could end a life. I had to learn some of the cruelest lessons before I turned thirteen. I had to learn about using lies and deception as my tools. I had to learn about taking a life. I had to learn about hate and vengeance.

But I was never taught about the consequences.

So here I was, for the first time in over five years, nervous about meeting Shredder's captives. My gloved hands were starting to get clammy. Keeping a stoic expression was becoming harder and harder to accomplish by the second. Acting as if nothing was wrong was killing me. But I had to do it.

After my "hissy fit" or "little rebellion," I have been trying to be the obedient child of Oroku Saki again. The week of being Karai was not enough for me to gain his complete trust, but it was enough for me to enter the cells without a guard. Of course before I even got here, I was searched for anything that could be used for assisting the turtles. It was irritating to walk around with only my armor and tanto sword for protection.

But not unreasonable…

I was actually relieved that Shredder allowed me to keep my armor and a weapon. I had seen their fight with Shredder and have heard the reports that Stockman has given. These beings were not the turtles that introduced me to their home, these were wild animals. There was no feeling of vengeance or anger when they were fighting. When they fought, there was no aggression other than from protecting their own from a greater threat.

The spirit that they all had in their fights weren't really there. The comradely the brothers had was gone. Their humanity had left them.

Heartbreaking.

And to think, I was the one to cause all this. And to think that, at one point, I would have been overjoyed to cause such misery.

Sickening…

It only seemed fitting that I go visit them to truly honor father's lesson to me.

I stand in front of their cage and see three mounds of muscle through the bars. Looking back were three pairs of eyes that stared back accusingly at me. For a moment, I felt relief that the bars were between us. Then I felt shame that I was assured safety from my family.

I couldn't recognize them. If their eyes were different, I would not be able to tell them apart. Even when all three have different markings, different head shapes, I could not see the turtles in the snakes before me.

I had prepared a little speech for them, but I had made it for the turtles. I had wanted to apologize to them, for ruining their life. Now, it didn't seem right. Apologizing to them now would be as effective as talking to a wall. And, no words could ever describe how guilty I felt about doing this to them. Nothing I do would show them how much it saddens me to see them like this.

Luckily they can't understand me anymore…

Sad thing is, now that I'm here, I'm not really pitying the mutants here. Yes, I do feel utterly terrible about reducing three sentient being to mindless serpents, but I couldn't help but think about how I affected the unaffected. Leonardo, Splinter, I can only imagine what they are going through.

I'm a terrible big sister…

But these creatures here weren't my brothers anymore. I can see that from their eyes. There was no recognition. They looked at me as if considering if I was an enemy or a food they can eat.

I couldn't stand it.

I didn't know how long I was in the same room with them, but I knew that when I decided to leave that I nearly ran out of the room. My composure was lost, but my emotions shot. I couldn't feel anything anymore. There was no anger, not to me, not to Shredder, nothing.

I just want to go home…

* * *

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.


End file.
